• Today, one in five children has mental health problems.
• Within there last 15 years, there has been a 43% increase in ADHD in kids.
• Within the last 15 years, there has been a 37% increase in teen depression.
• Within there last 15 years, there has been a 100% increase in the suicide rate in kids 10-14 years old.

This is the world we live in.

Today in Episode 69 of the Jesus Society Podcast, I want to follow-up on our Men of God series and talk about parenting in general, not just as it pertains to men and boys, but parenting in general.

I want to start by talking about the biblical philosophy of parenting, and then with that in front of us, I want to give some specific, and I think timely, and hopefully helpful advice for parents.

Join me today as we discuss:

I. A Biblical Philosophy of Parenting, based on Deut. 6:4-7; Prov. 22:6; and Eph. 6:4. The bottom line? You’re much more than a life support system for your children. So, following Steven Covey’s first two habits in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, you need to “Be Proactive,” and “Begin with the End in Mind.”

II. Specific Advice for Parenting:

1. Realize that love covers a multitude of sins.
2. Find some people who have successfully raised good, godly kids, who have done it well, and look to them as your mentors and examples.
3. Cultivate an atmosphere of vulnerability with your kids.
4. Cultivate an atmosphere of truth and trust.
5. Be present with your kids and make your kids be present with you. Be engaged with your kids.
6. Make sure your kids have lots of good (emphasis on good) adults in their lives; don’t let them spend all their time being influenced by their peers.
7. Don’t be afraid to discipline. Discipline is not cruel. Done right, it is a blessing.
8. Don’t shelter your kids from the world they’ll have to live in. Instead, teach them healthy ways to process and relate to the world as it exists.
9. And finally, once again, realize that love covers a multitude of sins.

God has entrusted you with the nurturing and care of another life. That should humble you, but it should also inspire you. God thinks you’re up to the challenge.

If you have children, the most important kingdom activity you have is to raise them well, to extend the blessing and love and care and instruction of God to them. Help them become adults who can bear the image of God to their world with wisdom and love. You can do that. And the proof you can do that is that God has given you children.

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And, if you’d like to support the show and our related ministry, click on the “Support TJS” link on the Jesus Society website to find out how (thejesussociety.com).

Thanks for listening!

And remember, you are greatly loved.

Music and audio production by Nathan Longwell Music 

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Resources for Today’s Show:

1. Victoria Prooday, “The Silent Tragedy Affecting Today’s Children (and what to do with it)” (https://yourot.com/parenting-club/2017/5/24/what-are-we-doing-to-our-children)

2. Steven Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1982137274/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_28EQFTD4JVJPWK766JPT)

3. James Dobson, The New Dare to Discipline (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0842305076/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_P4SBKNGJT127CFCBAZ0K)

4. James Dobson, The New Strong-Willed Child: Birth Through Adolescence (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0842336222/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_YK96JTCTW03FJ89WWB7Z)

5. James Dobson, Bringing Up Boys: Practical Advice and Encouragement for those Shaping the Next Generation of Men (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1414391331/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_364S569CNCCA5YNEFYGZ)

6. James Dobson, Bringing Up Girls: Practical Advice and Encouragement for Those Shaping the Next Generation of Women (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1414391323/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_JGBVVANR7K0WJNADBRDP)